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Bow Council says: Number Up!

Come June 1, every building, from residences to businesses will have to have a building number posted, and visible from the street. Ordinance 1095 will require the posting of address numbers on buildings. It will be a help for the Utility Department and for Emergency Services. The numbers are to be on the building, not on the curb. They are to be at least three inches high and two inches wide and made metal or some other durable material. The Broken Bow City Council passed the ordinance at the Monday noon city council meeting and waved the three readings. “The point is that the numbers need to be plainly seen from the street,” said Tolstedt. Trotters requests utility extension on Hwy 2. A request was received from Trotters to consider TIF financing for a proposed truck stop on the west end of Broken Bow. According to Tolstedt, the company is considering building a truck stop and diesel shop and would like the city to issue a “Memorandum of Under-standing” as to what the city will and will not provide. Up for discussion are turn lanes, an entranceway, and utilities. The cost of these items, Tolstedt explained would be in the neighborhood of $300,000. Of this, the utilities will be around $40,000. Mike Bacon, Gothenburg attorney, explained that if the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) is approved the tax increase could pay for the extension. Tax increment financing is designed to finance the public costs associated with a private development project. Through TIF, the property tax increases resulting from a development are targeted to repay the public investment required by a project. In order for TIF to be approved, the city has to establish a blighted area. Nebraska voters approved community improvement financing in 1978. When a project is approved, the locality, and in this case it could possibly be the Utility Board, authorizes the issuing of TIF bonds to pay for the public side of the improvements. “TIF allows you to help the business get launched without breaking the piggy bank,” said Bacon. “The taxes would help the city coffers straight out of the gate.” An MOU means that construction can start without the TIF being complete, said Bacon. “There is a significant risk here. This is a $2 million project,” said Bacon. “It would be good for city revenue and good for the community.” The council asked Tolstedt and Bacon to proceed with an MOU that said that the city would be responsible for the utilities to the property line. The other details are under discussion “Being for the TIF is not an issue,” said Council President Scott Spanel. “Our responsibility is the question.” Chris Pearson asked for the property on the south side of the highway to also be put into the blight study with the recommendation of the CRA board. The request was approved. Todd Eberle asked the Council to consider creating a paving district and utility extension district north of Melham Ballfield. Eberle said there are a number of people who would like to pursue constructing housing on the property. The consideration was tabled asking Eberle to return with more details. “I don’t think we can make a decision until we see the drawings. We have to see what it will cost,” said Councilman Jim Franssen. Other items including approving the One and Six Year Street improvement Plan. The plan includes Fifth Avenue from Highway 2 to Memorial Drive. Monte Clark explained that the water mains would need replaced at the same time. They were put in sometime between 1938 and 1950. “If we are considering street demolition it would be prudent to replace the water mains at the same time,” said Clark. It is the intent to replace the street with concrete because of the truck traffic. Other streets included on the One and Six Year Street Plan include: Memorial Drive from Fifth Avenue east to the city limits; portions of South D; three blocks at Arrowhead Drive; North Fifth Avenue from Memorial Drive to the northern city limits; portions of buffalo Run Road, Council Street, Pawnee Lane and Arapahoe Lane, North 15th from J Street to L Street, K Street from 14th to 15th, and improvements to the downtown commercial district.